It was one of those breezy, golden mornings where the air felt just right—fresh but not cold, sunny but not too bright. Jake and his girlfriend Gaby had spontaneously decided to try something new: tennis. Neither of them had ever played before, but that didn’t stop them from showing up at the neighborhood courts dressed like they were headed to Wimbledon. Gaby wore a white skirt and cropped top with her hair in a sporty ponytail, and Jake showed up in basketball shorts and a backwards cap, holding the cheapest rackets they could find at Walmart.

Mochi, their fluffy little dog, was lounging in the shade of the bleachers, panting happily and watching with what Jake swore was judgment in his eyes.

“Okay, ready?” Gaby called from the other side of the net, bouncing the tennis ball like she knew what she was doing.

“Nope,” Jake replied. “But go for it.”

She served the ball… straight into the fence.

Jake cracked up. “Wow. Olympic level.”

“Shut up,” she giggled, picking up another ball. “You try.”

Jake tossed the ball into the air and swung wildly—missing by at least two feet. Mochi barked once, like even he knew that was tragic.

They went back and forth like that, laughing, missing, running around the court like two kids at recess. Gaby dropped her racket at one point just to chase Jake around with a ball.

Then, after collapsing into the middle of the court in a mix of sweat and giggles, Gaby leaned back on her elbows, squinting up at the sky. “You know what we should do?” she asked, catching her breath.

Jake sat beside her, wiping his forehead with his shirt. “Retire from tennis forever?”

“No.” She grinned, her cheeks still flushed. “We should get married.”

Jake blinked. “Married? Like… actually?”

“Yeah,” she said, half-laughing. “I mean not now obviously—we’re, like, 19 and 18. But… one day. I’m just saying.”

Jake looked at her, heart racing a little—not from tennis this time. “I mean… I can definitely picture that,” he said quietly. “As long as we don’t play tennis at the wedding.”

Gaby laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder. “Deal. But you better start practicing your vows and your backhand.”